For the Love of a Demon
by Lady Bliss
Summary: [Sesshomaru x Rin][RomanceTragedyAngst] Full summary inside. Rin makes a bargain with a mysterious being, which may end with losing her soul if she does not win the heart of the love she waited years to be with.[Rated MA for sexual content]
1. A Deadly Bargain

**Summary:** Rin lived in a peaceful village that seemed to be hidden from the rest of the world, sheltered from demons and other evils. She took on a routine as a house wife, cooking and cleaning like all the other women do. However peaceful and happy the villagers were, Rin was not. She is plagued with dreams that left her waking in tears and a depressed feeling that took over her heart. She longed for excitement, adventure, and happiness, which she might be able to meet at a high price.

**Genres:** Romance/ Tragedy/ Angst

**Rating:** MA - rated for sexual content

**Pairings:** Rin x Original Character, Sesshomaru x Rin  
- Although I mention the "OC" he is not a large part of the story - just an important factor. So no need to get your panties up in a bunch if you dislike people using OCs in fanfiction. This story revolves around Sesshomaru x Rin. Rin, of course, is not a child. If you dislike this pairing, do not read it. If you click on your browser's "back" button, you can run for the hills.

**Author's Note:** This is my own adaption of Disney's "The Little Mermaid." When you read, you might find minor ideas, but most of it was from the originality of my own brain. It was originally supposed to be a knock of IY version, but I edited and re-edited until this is what I came up with. I spent a long time editing, but there was definitely still room for errors, so if you find any, please inform me.  
With that, please relax, enjoy, and review!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the anime/manga "Inuyasha," it and all the characters from it belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. All I own is my free flow of ideas and a simple Word Processor that types it out.

* * *

**For the Love of a Demon**  
**Chapter One:** A Deadly Bargain  
**Part One**  
_by Lady Bliss_

_"Sesshomaru - come back for me!" - Rin_

"It is time you be on your way."

There he was again. The man with no face. The one whose long silver hair had a bright sheen to it as the rain filtered its way through the trees and landed on him gently. His voice, as he spoke those words, was smooth and quiet like a baby's lullaby. His touch was gentle and graceful as it fell upon her shoulder, his skin pale, soft and beautiful.

He made her heart throb painfully in her chest, a feeling she recognized.

The feeling of heartbreak.

It would plague her mind, body, and her soul every time she saw him. Every time she felt his touch on her shoulder. Every time he stood tall and turned his back to her. Every time he faded into the distance.

Heartbreak, she knew the feeling all too well. Yet she did nothing but stand and watch him leave her in pain. She did not try to call for him, she did not try to run to him. She stood and watched him walk away. She stood and watch as her heart ached to be by his side once more.

As her heart continued to throb in its usual painful matter and her mind continued to race at ungodly speeds, she felt something warm run down her cheeks. A break from the cold rain. She lifted a hand to dry her face, but only smeared the liquids, for her hand was wet in rain as well. This caused her vision to blur in tears, the source of the warm liquids.

Yes, that was the cause of her tears. It had to be the depressing rain and the thunder that cracked after a whip of lightening. The gloomy night was what sent her heart and mind racing as if in competition with one another. Her stomach ached in pain from the depression of the darkness, not of the man.

She would never cry over a man. It was the rain. It was the thunder. It was the lightening. It was the cold. It was the darkness. It was something, but it was most certainly not the man that left her.

But if that were true, why did she defend the thought so?

Yes, there was the man without a face again. The one that walked out of her dreams every night, leaving her in the cold and depressed depths of her mind.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Rin?" she heard her name being called in a familiar voice. "Rin?" it came again, slicing through the rain and the moonlight.

She fluttered her eyelids open to find her husband by her side. He held her arm and shook her lightly, a worried expression on his dark features. She gave him the most loving smile she could muster, but it was still weak and somewhat depressing.

"You are finally awake," he said with a forced smile, but it quickly dropped into a frown, "How are you feeling?"

Rin sat up and took in a deep breath. "I am sorry, my husband," she said as she stared down into her lap, "I do not mean to worry you so."

The man took Rin into his arms and held her close. "Why do you cry at night?" he asked into her ear softly. He let her wipe her wet cheeks onto his shoulder as he petted her hair in a loving manner.

Rin pulled from her husband's grip and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand to dry up the remaining tears. She finally put on a smile, even though her heart still ached from the after effect of her dream. "I do not know, my husband," she said. And with that, she silenced any further questions with a quick kiss to his lips.

Lying was wrong, and she knew it. But how could she tell her sweet and loving husband that she was dreaming of another man? It would shred the kind man in two. Although her loyalty for her husband had never faltered through the few years they had been together, she felt them becoming more and more distant as her dreams became more and more vivid.

She was no longer interested in his sexual advances, and would not complain if he was too tired after his climax to help her reach her own. As the night wore on and she took her evening walks, she refused to let him accompany her, even when he warned her of the threat of demons. She no longer talked as much, nor did she smile as often. Her dreams seemed to sap all the smiles she had away.

"Has your cycle began?" her husband asked, his voice holding a hint of anxiousness in it.

"Yes, Husband," she answered, a small amount of annoyance seeping through her words. She was tired of the constancy of his question. He was eager to start a family the first day of their marriage, and although she obeyed her husband's wishes at night, she secretly did not wish for a baby. She prayed quietly at times to not be with a child.

"Oh," was all he said, turning from his wife and dressing in his field clothes.

Rin dressed herself in her daily best kimono and exited the tiny hut in which they lived without so much as a goodbye to her husband. She was not angry or trying to be mean, she was just always one to hurry on her way if there were things to do. Her duties were important to their simple everyday life, as was his. She had to scoop fresh drinking water from the river beyond the woods and collect the ingredients for the day's lunch and dinner. He had to work in the fields to grow the food for the entire village and earn what little money he could to afford to buy it.

She picked up the large clay pot she had crafted herself from the side of the house and carried it through the village. She smiled and waved hello, pleasant and often fake manners that everyone passed to one another in the village. Even if no one meant it, she complimented others and received them back in idol chat as they did every morning she left and evening she returned. It was a nice place to live, a remote village hardly anyone even heard of, with little worries.

But as with any small place, rumors spread like unwanted weeds. She knew what most people thought of her, and even if it was not all that bad she still hated it. She heard rumors of how the town thought she was odd. A woman who did not have any children when most her age had half a dozen. She was married later in her life compared to most, in her late teenage years to her husband whom was in his late twenties. And even if she was reaching her mid twenties, she still did not feel the pressing need to have a child even though everyone asked when she was expecting a date as if she was pregnant right then.

It was not that she was against the idea of having children, she just did not feel like it was the right time in her life to give birth. It did not feel right. And if the gods decided it was not her time, then she would agree with their decision. She felt that perhaps they will bless her with a child when the right time came, and until then, she would make dinner for two.

**Part Two**

Rin did not wish pain or death to herself or the others of her village, but she would often wish that perhaps a demon would show up at the village a time or two. It seemed that the village in which she lived was the only one that was never in need of an exorcism or demon slayer. It was a tad too boring for her own liking.

She felt odd to feel that way at times. Most people would kill for a life such as hers. One of peace and serenity. But the lifestyle did not make her happy. She craved a life of excitement. She wanted a life where she did not know what was going to happen. She did not want a life of routine. She hated waking up in the morning to fake pleasantries as she went to fetch water. She hated returning and buying food with what little money she had. She hated preparing the same bland meals with what little she could afford. She hated the same scenery and the same unsatisfying sex.

She wanted to wake up in the afternoon and have someone cook food for her with expensive spices. She wanted to spend a day wandering the countryside, picking wildflowers and singing songs. She wanted to return to a grand home with expensive art and decorations. And selfishly, she wanted to experience a mind shattering orgasm before her lover was finished with his.

But she knew the difference between wants and needs. She sighed from the sad thought, and returned her mind back to reality. In front of her sat a pot of vegetable soup burning from her lack of attention. She gasped and quickly grabbed the handle to the hot pot, but jolted back from the pain. She blew on her hand a few times to cool it before taking a cloth to the handle and then moving it from the fire.

"Are you alright?" came her husband's worried voice from the door of the hut.

Rin turned around and gave him a smile. "I am fine, I just need to get some cold water," she answered, standing to her feet. She walked toward her husband and wrapped her arms around him in a loving hug before gently pushing him aside to exit the hut. She felt his gaze on her back as she walked away, making her sigh and turn to wave cheerfully before continuing on her way.

She politely dodged the village folk who wanted to stop and talk, saying she needed to return home quickly after collecting a few medicinal herbs and water. She knew she could count on the village doctor for some medicine, but took the opportunity to return to the woods and be alone. She liked the quiet sounds of the woods, only hearing the animals scurry about and the birds sing.

Arriving at the river where she normally gathered her water, she dipped her hand inside and felt the burning subside for a moment, enjoying the cool water. She looked out at the sun that was slowly ending the day's rounds and setting in the west, causing her to forget the pain. Slowly, she tore her gaze away and dipped a ragged piece of cloth into the cool water, wrapping it around her hand. She finally stood, watching the water sparkle from the sun's reflection one last time before walking back inside the woods.

She looked around at the plants scattered about the forest's floor, plucking different ones, sometimes gathering their roots, other times the entire plant itself. She held onto them, cursing herself quietly for not taking a basket to put them in. Once she felt she gathered enough of the right ingredients, she turned back to the path that lead to the village.

"I can see the hurt in your heart," a voice cooed from behind her.

Rin turned around quickly in fright, dropping the herbs she had collected. She saw a man clothed in dark rags, carrying a large pack on his back. He had his face covered, only his eyes visible. She noted he was significantly shorter than she, but wider in size. She swallowed hard in her throat before asking, "Who are you?"

"That doesn't matter," the man spoke, "I only wish to help you."

Skeptical, Rin took a step back from the man. "I do not need help," she said, readying herself to run.

The man chuckled lowly in his throat. "Oh, but you do," he cooed, "I can take some of that pain away."

Rin once again took another step back, shaking her head in disbelief. "What do you know of my pain?" she asked.

"I know of those," he paused for a second to change his tone to a deeper one, laughing as he spoke, "_dreams_."

With her eyes widening a bit and her heart sinking low in her chest, she stopped her pursuit backwards and turned her full attention to the man. "How do you-"

The man cut her off in mid-sentence, "I am a mind reader of sorts, my dear."

Rin did not speak for a few moments. She brought her finger to her lips to nibble on the tip of it. Her eyes searched the ground as if she would find the words written in the dirt beneath her feet. Finally, she looked back up, "What do you know?"

Laughing under his breath, he signaled for the brunette to follow as he spoke, "Come with me."

**Part Three**

Rin found herself following the mysterious man across the woods, farther and farther away from her village. They reached a mountain side and he pressed on, hopping up rocks upward and waiting on a ledge for her to climb. It took her a great deal longer to climb as it did the man to make super human jumps, but she felt the need to carry on. Her want to continue conquered her needs to rest. 

After traveling high, her arms began to ache from hauling her body up onto ledges. She pulled herself up the one just below the man's feet, letting her body collapse on the dirty rocks.

"This way," the man said, walking along the edge toward a dark cave.

She looked upward to see him entering the darkness, and felt herself having second thoughts.

No, she thought, she could not give up when she had came so far. She stood, her arms struggling to push her up from the ground. She dusted herself off and entered the dark cave, feeling her way around. Not too deep inside, the area began to get brighter.

The man had a torch in his hand and signaled for her to follow deeper inside. She gave him an awkward look as she questioned where he had gotten the fire. Still, her feet moved in rhythm with the little man. Soon, the area opened up to a room lit with gas lamps. Odd jars of liquids and powders were strung about the floor on dirty mats.

"Lay down," the man said as he pointed to a cleared spot where a pillow laid.

Rin hesitated for a moment, bringing her finger to her lips to once again chew on the tips of her fingers. She slowly dropped her hand and walked to the area, laying her head down on the pillow and moving her body in a more comfortable position. "What are-" she began, but was once again interrupted.

"Do not speak, child," the man said as he kneeled down above her head. He placed his hands on either side of her head and distance them an inch away. He closed his eyes, chanting quietly under his breath. Soon, his eyes snapped open - glowing an eerie green color.

Rin's eyes widened as a flood of images and words forced their way forward in her mind.

- - - - - - - - - -

The rain just started once the moon rose to the top of the sky. The dark night's scent mixed with the smell of mist made Rin's heart ache even more. Tears threatened to pour from her eyes, but she wiped at them before her lord could see. Once the lights from the tiny village came into her vision, she knew it was the end of the line. She stopped in her tracks, causing the silver haired demon that had been walking in front of her to stop and look back at her. 

"What is it Rin?" he asked.

"Lord Sesshomaru, do not make me go," she tried pleading one last time. She could not help it, a single tear slipped and she wiped it furiously away. That was when the rain stopped its sprinkle and poured a little harder onto them.

Sesshomaru knelt down on one knee to be at face level with the young girl. "Rin," he spoke her name in his soft and emotionless tone, but she could find the minor differences in his voice. She could tell when he was angry, when he was serious, and when he was trying to be compassionate. No one else heard it, but she did. "It is time you be on your way," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Rin's eyes began to pour tears down her cheeks, warm tears that mixed with the cold rain. She lifted her hand to dry her face, but it was of no use. Her hand was wet from the rain, and it only smeared the tears and water.

She looked up to see her lord standing to his feet once again, tall, proud, and silent. He looked down at her with a piercing golden gaze one last time before turning his back to her and walking away. He did not look back again, he did not wave, he did not say goodbye. He left her there, a young child with a broken heart.

- - - - - - - - - -

Rin sat up quickly, grabbing her heart. "Lord Sesshomaru!" she yelled out in pain. Tears fell down her cheeks, too many to stop them with her hands. Her suppressed memories were fresh and raw in her mind. She spent years pushing them away. Why? she thought, Why are they returning so fresh? 

"Because I summoned them," the man spoke, walking around the girl to stand in front of her.

Pulling her feet from in front of her and to her side, Rin rubbed at her eyes. "I want you to put them back!" she demanded, "I want to be locked away in the back of my mind!"

"No you do not," the man snapped, causing Rin to jolt back a ways, "You know why the demon turned your love and company away, Child?"

"I was only a small girl," Rin said, looking off to the side, "I would slow him down."

"No," the man hissed, "because you are _human_."  
Rin looked back up at the man, one eyebrow slightly arched to show her interest. She used the back of her hand to dry one cheek as she drawled, "What?"

"Yes, Child," the man grinned - a very large and devilish expression, "and you have a desire to be with him, do you not?"

Rin nodded slowly after a moment of silence. She eyed the man, curious as what he was getting to. She was overwhelmed with a feeling of distrust, her heart aching from the still vivid images in her mind.

"I can make that desire come true," he said, reaching a hand out and touching her cheek.

Pulling away quickly in distaste, Rin stood to her feet. "I doubt that," she said as she walked toward the opening of the cave.

"Oh, but Child," the man cooed, "I have the power to turn you into what you desire."

Rin's walk slowed to a stop. She turned her head to look at the man over her shoulder, question in her eyes. She remembered Naraku and the young maiden that had fallen in love with Sesshomaru - both despicable and grotesque creatures. She did not want to be made of hundreds of demons or have them over take her.

"No," the man said, "It will be nothing like the transformation of those two."

Rin's eyes widened a bit as he spoke to her before she even opened her mouth. She slowly turned around to listen to what he had to say, her heart beating wildly at even the thought of becoming a demon. Perhaps it was a way to find Sesshomaru and receive another chance to be by his side.

"You will be a demon," the man began, "a demon as the likes of Sesshomaru and his father. It will be as if you were born into the life."

"But," Rin stopped herself and let her eyes wonder off to the side, "What do you want in return?"

The man laughed once again. His hand began to glow a golden light. The light quickly took form of a scroll which he grasped as he walked over to her. "Your soul," he said, opening the scroll to reveal a contract.

Rin stepped back, shaking her head, "No!" she exclaimed. What good is a life with her lord if it was not even hers to live?

"However," the man spoke, "there is a way you can stay like this and keep your soul." He pushed the contract closer to the girl, making a quill appear in his other hand. "If you can get a kiss from your lord, then you can keep both your soul and your demonic form."

Staying quiet for a few moments, staring at the alluring contract, Rin slowly reached for the quill. She jerked her hand back before taking it to speak, "Just a kiss?"

"Just a kiss," the man said, "Though, you only have _three_ months before you belong to me."

Rin did not move. She let the thought roll out in her mind, her heart racing faster than before. She quickly snatched the quill from the man and signed her name at the bottom of the golden contract.

The man began to laugh. The contract disappeared inside his hand and he released another golden light from him that surrounded Rin. His laughing did not stop as the painful transformation began.


	2. Rin's Disappearance

**For the Love of a Demon  
Chapter Two: **Rin's Disappearnce**  
Part One  
**_by Lady Bliss_

_"Pathetic humans." - Sesshomaru_

"Haven't you heard? Rin has been gone for several days now."

"Keitaro's wife?"

"Yes!"

He had heard every word they said even when they tried whispering. He knew the rumors that were floating around, ones about his dear wife's disappearance. Everyone was sure she left to find the demon, the one that had been sighted ever since she was taken in by the village elder. Everyone was positive that she had something to do with the demon, for none had ever been around the village except for him. The one that did not attack, just watched his home from afar.

Keitaro did not want to believe that his wife had anything to do with such foul creatures. It had to be a coincidence. Perhaps the demon had been waiting for the opportune time to abduct his poor Rin. But deep down he knew the truth. He knew the demon and Rin were connected, he just did not want to believe it.

"Perhaps Rin is a demon herself," one villager spoke softly to another as they plowed the fields.

"Yeah, and the demon that had been watching her must be her brother, or true husband!" another villager whispered back.

"Enough!" Keitaro exclaimed, his eyes welled up with tears. How could they think such things of Rin? he mused, she was the sweetest and most innocent person he had ever known. He knew she loved him, and he loved her with all his heart.

He threw the rake he had in his hands down to the grown with full force. No more, he thought. He would no longer take the rumors, he would no longer wait around as he was ordered for his beloved Rin to return. He would find her and bring her back to their home, whether she was in the clutches of a demon or not.

- - - - - - - - - -

Rin awoke inside the damp and dirty cave, her head throbbing. She reached a hand up to sooth the pain as she sat upwards, looking around to place where she was. At first she did not remember, but soon her mind caught up to her in one painful memory. She let out an agonizing scream from the pain in her head, tears blurring her vision.

She wondered how long she had been sleeping as she viewed her empty and dark surroundings. It was then she noticed that no light was emitting from the gas lamps that were placed about the room, yet she could still see. She stood up and began walking toward the smell of the outside, her headache easing as she carried on. Once she was out of the cave her eyes adjusted rather quickly to the sunlight, and she found there was no need to shield them even though the day was hot and cloudless.

Her smile began to grow. Everything was different. The smells of the world, the sounds, the views; it was all more intense than it had ever been. She looked down to the ledge that was only a few feet away, finding her feet had already began moving before she completed the command in her mind. She was already jumping swiftly from ledge to ledge until her feet were on the cool grass beneath her.

"Amazing!" she exclaimed to herself as she spun around. Her long hair twirled and bits fell over her shoulder, catching her eye. Her hair was no longer the dark brown it had once been, but a rich silver. She reached to scoop up the long strands and studied them, another smile of delight gracing her supple lips.

Rin allowed her nose to take in a deep whiff of the scents around her until one of fresh water caught her interest. She followed it, her legs moving at a pace she never thought possible. It did not take long before she arrived at the water source, a calm river that flowed through the forest. She leaped from the bank over to a rock jetting from the water and looked down at her reflection.

Her hair was indeed a rich color of silver, long and soft. Her eyes were a deep gold color and her cheeks bore one purple mark on either side. She turned her head to see that her ears were both long and pointed, a feature she was not sure she liked on herself.

With a rumble, her stomach protested its emptiness. She sat up and removed her eyes from her reflection to look down at her growling stomach. She frowned as she realized she did not have any money in which she could buy food. She stood and took in a deep breath when a fish caught her eye.

Grinning, she jumped into the water trying to grab the delicious looking morsel. To her dismay, it slipped through her fingers and began to swim away. She leaped for it, submerging herself completely in the chilly water, but once again missed. She began to growl at her frustration, feeling her anger rise. Her clawed fingers began to glow an eerie yellow color under the water, causing her to quickly bring it up to her face to observe, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

And as if a gift from the Gods, the fish she had been after slowly rose up from the water. She eyed it for a second and then quickly grabbed it to find it was dead. She studied it carefully, and then she noticed that slowly more and more fish began rising up to the surface of the water. She watched as the current began to take some down stream. She slowly grabbed a few more and jumped out of the water, tossing them on the ground. Whatever the fish's problem, she would not let it get in the way of eating.

- - - - - - - - - -

Rin patted her stomach, a satisfied smile on her lips. She laid back on the ground next to the fire she had built and stared up at the sky that was slowly growing dark. She wondered if it was safe to stay and sleep alone out in the woods. She did not feel scared, which made her very curious. She never liked being alone, yet it did not bother her right then.

She was not sure how long she had been asleep in the cave, nor how long she had left. Surely no more than a few days had passed, but she could not be too careful. Her search for Sesshomaru had to begin soon, she thought, or she might never see him or anyone else again.

A wind blew harshly over Rin, causing the fire to dance from the sudden wave of oxygen. It blew a familiar scent into her nose, causing her heart to nearly skip a beat. She stood up and followed it, thinking the Gods must be on her side that day.

**Part Two**

Sesshomaru picked up on the rumors around the village. He was not completely sure whether or not to believe them. Rumors were vicious no matter where they were and who they were about. Even among the demon world it seemed rumors drifted with the wind on a far and wild trip to nip a person right in the ass.

But an awkward feeling tugged at his gut; it told him that they were probably correct. Well, he thought, at least one part that seemed solid in all the different rumors. Rin had disappeared and had not been seen for several days. It was true he did not spot her when he browsed the area, but he simply thought she was indoors each time he came by where he could not see nor smell her. There had been times in the past that it had happened, but this time was different. The villagers seemed panicked, and accused her of running off with a demon he assumed was himself. Obviously that rumor was not true, for he had not seen the girl.

Other villagers talked of her running away with another man, leaving her husband behind without a second thought or feeling of guilt. That was the rumor the demon lord scoffed at. There was no possible way the caring girl that took care of him only so many years before was capable of hurting someone like that.

Slowly, the demon felt a twinge of worry start to form for the girl. He disliked the fact he felt that way. He was a great demon with no weaknesses such as those kinds of emotions, or so he told himself. He had not been happy with how he often found himself going back to the village to see Rin, let alone care that she was missing. Deny as he might, he could not help but feel and tolerate the bond that started when she was only a child of seven.

- - - - - - - - - -

The little girl did not speak, which did not bother Sesshomaru in the least. She would bring him food and fresh water before retreating back to her village quietly. She seemed somewhat troubled and very unhappy for such a young child, though she went through the unnecessary steps to be sure he did not die.

He often wondered why a human girl would care for a strange and wounded demon, but did not break the silence between them. He was never one to question, and did not like being questioned himself.

At first he stared at her offerings of food and water, but soon accepted her help. His chances of survival would have been only slightly less if she did not care for him like she did, for time and rest was all he really needed. He did not have a doubt in his mind that he would live, but the silent and kind gesture from the human warmed his heart - even if it was only slightly.

When the fresh scent of human blood drifted in the wind, he did not seem to make a second thought about it. He did not care for the welfare of man; in fact, he despised the weak humans. Nothing but soft flesh and silly emotions. But when he saw the child, the very same one that cared for him, he stopped. He eyed her body which was slipping away from life quickly and contemplated whether or not he would leave her there to rot.

He felt Tenseiga throb and he slowly unsheathed the blade he deemed worthless. Looking down at the girl's body, he saw pall bearer demons surrounding her. With a swift move of his sword, he sliced the demons and killed them. Slowly, the girl's soul and life returned and her mortal wounds were healed.

The rest of the people living in the village Rin was from were not as lucky. All of the humans had been slaughtered, including her parents. It was not completely clear, even to Sesshomaru, why he allowed the girl to follow him after learning of her loss. He could have easily left her to fend for herself, or if not, he could have sent her to another human village that would adopt the young orphan.

As the years went by and he saved the girl's life again and again from demon attacks, he soon felt it was her time to lead a normal human life. She needed to find a husband and start a family; she needed to be surrounded by other humans. He could not longer care for the child the way she needed to be cared for.

He found a simple and suitable village and sent Rin on her way, though he did not leave her completely. He sometimes watched her from afar and found himself protecting the entire village from demon attacks. Though he would not admit to even himself the kind deeds he did for them.

- - - - - - - - - -

An unfamiliar scent, Sesshomaru mused. He sat underneath a large tree, the branches casting shadows made by the moonlight and the tree's branches. He felt the gentle wind toss his hair and watched the strands dance as the presence of another drew near. He stood, directing his eyes and Tokijin toward where he felt the other drawing closer to him. He felt their hesitation and took the moment to speak, "I know you are there."

Rin could not believe it. There she stood at the wrong end of Sesshomaru's sword. Though she was sure he could not see her hiding in the darkness, she cursed herself for letting her mind slip through the knowledge of his acute senses. She thought that perhaps she could be more quiet and unnoticeable than before when she had been human, but should had known better to think that Sesshomaru would not catch her.

She licked her lips that suddenly went dry before taking in a deep breath that only hardened the fresh saliva over her soft skin. "I should have known as much," she said, continuing to hide in the protection of the shadows, "you were always so aware of what and who was around you."

Rin's words caused Sesshomaru to raise an eyebrow slightly. He cautiously sheathed Tokijin and let his hand fall to his side. He could not sense a threat coming from the figure hiding in front of him. He did not speak, and instead waited for her to explain how she knew him.

Rin debated whether or not she would reveal herself. She wanted to spill her heart to the demon lord, let him know how she felt and how long she waited to see him again. Before she could allow herself to do that, another thought came to mind. She remembered what the man had said about why Sesshomaru sent her away - that he left her because she was human. She feared that if she revealed her true self, the demon before her would scoff and leave her again. Even if she was different right then, it would not change the fact that she was still human at heart.

Swallowing a hard lump that formed in her throat, Rin stepped forward so Sesshomaru could see her. She wanted to see if he would recognize her through the demon façade, but as she stood and stared, their golden eyes meeting, she did not see him react at all. Her lips dried once again and she licked them out of nervousness, wondering if behind his nonchalant mask he could see right through her.

"Do you remember me?" she asked before she could stop herself. Her heart began to beat wildly as she waited for an answer.

Sesshomaru stared at the silver-haired woman in front of him, taking in her appearance. There was something odd about the demon, something he could not place. She did not seem familiar in the least, yet a deep-rooted feeling in his heart told him different. He ignored the calls from his chest and spoke, "I do not know you."

Rin was not sure whether that was a good or bad thing. She did not know who she could be if she was not going to be herself. She exhaled a breath she was not aware she had been holding and smiled, "We did not really meet," her lie began, "but I heard a lot of the great Sesshomaru."

"It has been some time since I have seen another demon of our stature," Sesshomaru said.

A wave of relief fell over the girl when Sesshomaru did not call her on her lies. Her mind began to conjure up a life for her new self, and even a name. "I am Nozomi," she said, bowing politely.

Sesshomaru only continued to stare as an unsettling feeling started to build inside him. He simply closed his eyes and gave a small tilt of his head which could only be described as a lazy nod, to show he heard her introduction. He turned his back to the girl and began to walk away.

Rin's eyes widened as she saw Sesshomaru slowly slipping from her fingers once again. "W-wait!" she shouted, but received no answer in return. She did not let herself run after him, for she felt a strange instinct force herself to stay until he was out of sight. As much as she desired to follow him, the demon in her forced her patience out.

She would have to wait before forcing her way back inside Sesshomaru's life. She knew he was not one to be tampered with, so it was best not to appear to be following him or he would catch on and avoid her. Time was of the essence, and she had to think of a plan.

**Part Three**

Sickness spread rapidly through the small mountain village. People began to fall violently ill and the doctors of the town did not know what to do. At first the sickness was passed off as a simple cold, but it did not take long before the villagers discovered it was much more than that.

Keitaro was one of the few that did not fall victim to the sickness that had been going around. All who were well tried caring for the sickly, which put his search for his wife on hold. He wanted to travel to the neighboring village, but he could not bring himself to leave in his fellow villager's time of need.

He began to think there was a curse set on the village. When he was younger the village was not always so peaceful, but once the strange orphan girl showed up, demons and other plagues seemed to disappear. It seemed as if a bad curse had been lifted. He knew Rin was special, and set his heart in her hands from the moment they met. But only a few days after she left, the animals in which they lived from began to die.

It started with the fish. They began to float downstream across the village's main water source. The animals that drank from the water and ate the dead fish began to grow ill, and then those who ate the sickly animals began to grow sick themselves. At first he did not eat for his sorrow from the loss of his wife was too much to bare, but after seeing the fish float belly up, he refused to eat a single thing in fear of getting sick.

He did not care for his own well being, however. He only wanted to be healthy so he could journey to find his beloved Rin.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I am sure some of you are thinking back to the episodes of "The Woman Who Loved Sesshomaru" and how he saw through the demon's desguise. If you do not know what I am talking about, don't worry about it, but I will not give away too much about it. I am just wanting to say that this is a totally different situation. Rin is actually a demon, and not just possessed like Sara was. Well, in my story anyway.  
I hope you enjoyed chapter two of **For the Love of a Demon**! See you next time. And remember, everyone loves to hear reviews. I am not just saying a comment about whether or not you liked or disliked the story xP but on how I can improve and any mistakes I might have missed while I quickly edited. Thanks in advance! 


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